CC 5I
Saturday, a white teenaged boy, who was radicalized to believe in a racist conspiracy theory, and to use a weapon and body armor designed for the military, massacred Black Americans. I credit this act to voters whose political party leaders and preferred 'news' sources have been promoting the vile weapons of racism and gun proliferation, and committing stochastic terrorism, against Americans for years.
I speak tonight for the sane among us, who do not feed our brains and hearts from the hateful, ignorant sewers of faux news. We will vote in every election, which is where we have the power to stop supporters of today's GOP from facilitating hate of non-whites, non-white immigrants, and gun proliferation.
After 7 years I still over-estimate the character and intentions of those who choose to identify as MAGA Republicans. There are those who, along with their bad faith, irresponsible, conspiracy-theory-spouting elected - and election-losing - representatives, cannot and will not see the evils which their party's philosophies, policies and rhetoric promulgates. May they finally be aware and responsible enough to never engage in whataboutism, denial, or tone policing when courageously challenged on the basis of their support for that shrinking political party.
If we as human beings, fail to grow well-informed, empathetic, and secure enough to mold our own independent identity in a diverse nation, an extremist nationalist party, and a toxic information and communication environment, led by dishonest, anti-democracy, pandering, power-hungry narcissists, in desperate need of validation and approval, telling us how we are victims, and how others are inferior, may seem impossible to resist or abandon.
Each of us is responsible for choosing who and what we identify with and stand for.
To former Republicans with the integrity, clarity and courage to no longer see yourself in the faces of Republicans who blow racist dog-whistles, and want loaded guns to be ubiquitous, which inspire the weak and evil to commit violence against others, I say a deeply-felt Thank You. We stand together for all, not just the ones who share our neighborhoods, identities and beliefs.
Sara Martin
District 1